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1.1Denoting an event or situation which causes or involves widespread human suffering, especially one which requires the large-scale provision of aid.

‘human rights groups have warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis’

‘In Europe, this was still often presented as a regrettable exception, triggered by a humanitarian emergency, to the normal respect for international law characteristic of democracies.’

‘Figuring out how to apply the laws governing property and commercial activity are among the most complicated tasks in a humanitarian crisis.’

‘Does the administration view it as a humanitarian crisis?’

‘Well, the humanitarian crisis in Congo is so urgent the United Nations is boosting its peacekeeping force there by 3,000 more troops.’

‘Darfur has been a humanitarian crisis since 2003, when rebels frustrated by a long history of marginalization attacked government forces.’

‘For the first time NATO nations agreed, without a formal UN resolution, to use military force to solve a growing humanitarian crisis within a sovereign state's boundaries.’

‘The Janjaweed have waged a brutal campaign to drive out African farmers and U.S. officials are calling the dire situation in Sudan the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.’

‘Some U. N. officials are now warning of a humanitarian crisis in the occupied territories and saying it isn't far off.’

‘Pressure has been mounting for greater Western involvement to end violence and a humanitarian crisis in Darfur.’

‘You know, both sides have been calling this a humanitarian disaster.’

‘The Egyptian foreign ministry says it will be open "as long as this humanitarian as long as this is a humanitarian crisis."’

‘The World Food Programme, the leading agency in dealing with famine and humanitarian disasters, is facing a crisis of its own.’

‘They did not mention the humanitarian disaster they caused.’

‘What can you tell us about plans of dealing with that terrible humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan?’

‘A former governor of Sudan's stricken Darfur region yesterday appealed to the Irish Government to intervene to help solve what has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis.’

‘Its attack on that people is a political and humanitarian catastrophe.’

‘Even before the war there was a humanitarian catastrophe.’

‘So we have got two humanitarian disasters.’

‘The NATO intervention exacerbated the humanitarian crisis.’

‘The Chadian President on Wednesday urged the international community to act quickly in Darfur to avoid a "humanitarian tragedy" in the western part of Sudan.’

noun

A person who seeks to promote human welfare.

‘Compiled with the help of readers' nominations, it is a list of politicians, businessmen, humanitarians, artisans and more.’

‘Before the peacekeepers arrive, it's often the humanitarians in harm's way with no back-up.’

‘The same belief led some influential humanitarians to support removal policy in the United States.’

‘Soldiers can only draw a line in the sand; it is the humanitarians who must create development and hope.’

‘Permanent liaison and participation with such organizations will facilitate the definition of common goals and therefore defuse further conflict between utilitarians and humanitarians.’

‘It seems to be that the humanitarian thing to do - and I know that most anti-war people consider themselves humanitarians.’

‘He is one of the most dedicated humanitarians I have ever known.’

‘It was also described as cruel by Western humanitarians when the country tried to restrict its population growth with the introduction of a one-child policy.’

‘But right now it is happening, and you can't help wondering where all the great humanitarians are.’

‘Many liberal and socialist humanitarians took the same view.’

‘It is not hard to find countless examples of humanitarians giving up six-figure incomes to contribute to aid work.’

‘The case is tidily made that he was one of the 20th Century's great humanitarians.’

‘Join the real humanitarians as we strive to satisfy the needs and wants of every individual in the world.’

‘The new generation of terrorists does not spare unarmed humanitarians.’

‘There's nothing in it for the humanitarians amongst us, but that's not the idea.’

‘I look up to a lot of great writers, humanitarians, political figures/activists, scientists, religious figures.’

‘‘We want to end all humanitarian programs all over the world because we want, as humanitarians, to see development and ourselves out of work,’ he said.’

‘My thanks go to those aforementioned humanitarians in the town, the skilled hospital staff and, especially, to all my thoughtful friends and neighbours for their gifts and many good wishes.’

‘So what do the real humanitarians think of this?’

‘In the weeks prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, an English archaeologist is responsible for a series of daring rescues of important scientists and humanitarians from Nazi-occupied territories.’

Usage

The primary sense of humanitarian is 'concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare’. Since the 1930s a new sense, exemplified by phrases such as the worst humanitarian disaster this country has seen, has been gaining currency, and is now broadly established, especially in journalism, although it is not considered good style by all. In the Oxford English Corpus the second most common collocation of humanitarian is crisis